Bathing in the colorful Guizhou, gathering at the forest of Wanfeng, the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports 2024 opens

On September 26th, the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports 2024 was launched in Xingyi City, Qiansouthwest Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, experts from the relevant industries at home and abroad gathered to discuss new achievements in promoting high-quality development of mountain tourism.

Opening Ceremony of the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports 2024

As the only national and international high-end summit with mountain tourism as its theme, the first summit was held in Guizhou in 2015, and it has been ten years since then. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, said in his congratulatory letter that this annual event is an important platform for China's mountain tourism industry and even the global tourism industry.

Congratulatory Letter from Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN Tourism

This time is the first conference held after the adjustment of the mechanism. The theme of "Integration of Culture, Sports and Tourism Presents a High - Quality Life" fits the public's yearning for a better life, builds a bridge for international mountain tourism exchanges, and reveals a new trend of high-quality development in the tourism industry.

Enjoy the beautiful mountains and rivers, and enjoy a good life. In the land of 176,200 square kilometers, 92.5% of the land area of Guizhou Province is mountainous and hilly. It can be said that the mountainous terrain endows Guizhou with the most distinctive ecological "background". Guizhou has also become a popular tourist destination because of the beauty of its mountainous landscape, scientific research value, healthy and nurturing ecological environment, and profound humanistic heritage.

Ribbon-cutting Ceremony of "World Mountain Natural and Cultural Photography Exhibition"

"The tourism industry in the new era has entered a new stage of interconnected and collaborative development across the region, in multiple fields and industries. Guizhou, as a major mountain tourism province, has seen extraordinary popularity of 'village BA' and 'Village Super League' in recent years, demonstrating the intimate integration of rural sports and mass cultural tourism." At the opening ceremony, He Yafei, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of IMTA praised Guizhou.

He Yafei, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of IMTA

Peter Semone, Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), said that mountainous areas are becoming the focus for travelers looking for new experiences, and China's mountain tourism destinations are rapidly developing into world-class places.

Peter Semone, Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association

To further promote the protection and utilization of mountain tourism resources, and provide scientific guidance and practical guidance for the sustainable development of global mountain tourism. The conference released two important research results, namely, "Mountain Tourism Destinations Responding to Climate Change" and "Certification Criteria of World Famous Tourism Mountains", and awarded the first batch of 14 world famous tourist mountains and world health care demonstration cities.

Francesco Frangialli, Honorary Secretary-General of UNWTO and council member of IMTA, releases the research on "Mountain Tourism Destinations Responding to Climate Change"

Tiger Wu, Director of Center for Recreation and Tourism Research (CRTR), PekingUniversity and IMTA Expert, releases the "Certification Criteria of World Famous Tourism Mountains"

After the opening ceremony of the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports 2024, the Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference 2024 was also held on the spot. This is the third conference held under the "Asia Tourism Promotion Plan" of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The theme of this year's conference is "Mutual Learning and Cooperation - Join Hands to Embark on a New Journey of Asian Mountain Tourism".

Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference 2024

At the meeting, experts and scholars to gather together for keynote speeches on topic "Mountain Tourism Innovation & Community Co-construction", to discuss strategies for high-quality development of mountain tourism in the new pattern.

Saysombat Bounnaphon, Deputy Director General of Tourism Business Management of Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Lao PDR, said that the cooperation between Laos and China in tourism has a broad prospect. He said that China and Laos are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. In 2021, the international passenger train of the China-Laos Railway was completed, which helped to promote closer ties, deeper cooperation and broader development between the two countries. In order to promote the "2024 Laos Tourism Year", the Lao government has implemented a visa-free policy for Chinese tourists.

Saisambath Bonapong, Acting Director of the Tourism Business Management Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos

"Air traffic between Vietnam and the entire tourism market, especially China, has been well restored to provide services for tourists. Currently, there are direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chongqing and other Chinese cities." Nguyen Le Phuc, Vice Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), also introduced to the guests that China has been an important source market for Vietnam for many years.

Nguyen Le Phuc, Vice Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT)

As an important hub in Southwest China, Guizhou has increasingly close cultural and tourism ties with Southeast Asian countries. On May 8, the first "Colorful Guizhou" tourist train from Guiyang to Vientiane, Laos, was launched, becoming the first transnational tourist train in Guizhou. On August 31st, the direct flight route from Guiyang to Hanoi, Vietnam was officially opened.

Awarding certificates to the first group of World Famous Tourism Mountains

At present, Guizhou is focusing on the "three elements" of resources, tourist sources and services, taking the integration of cultural tourism as the foundation and the integration of culture and technology as the direction, to further promote the industrialization of tourism, accelerate the construction of world-class tourist attractions and first-class tourist cities, and strive to build a world-class tourist destination.

Wanfeng Forest, Southwest Guizhou, photographed by Li Lin

"Take advantage of the wind, and you can see the vast sky and the mountains and rivers below." Today, when you walk into Guizhou, you will see the magnificent mountain scenery, passionate outdoor sports, colorful mountain customs, and comfortable mountain health care. Here, natural treasures and cultural treasures are brewing endless charm.

Source: Guizhou Daily

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong